Antique Gaff Type Tool or Halberd Hand Forged
$235.00
This is a very nice, and very old, antique gaff type tool or perhaps a weapon, similar in some ways to a halberd. A halberd usually has a longer shaft than this, but it was the only weapon type that I could find that has any of these features. Most fishing gaffs have the same size and shaped hook, but not the spear type feature as on this one. The inside of the hook is rather blunt, not sharpened on the edge, fairly sharp point on the hook, but the outside is much more sharp, as is the double sided spear section. The metal section is 9" long, and this gaff is 25.2" long overall, with a nice metal end cap on the rosewood handle end. This is a very well made gaff, with two sections of parellel metal strips (straps) that help to secure the gaff head to the handle. It is effective, as the handle is still very well attached with no looseness at all. The two strips extend the total length of the metal head to 10.5". It would appear the wood is also fit into the socket part of the gaff head, giving it even more strength. The rosewood handle is very nice, a nice dark patina, plenty of minor scratches and dings, but still a nice looking finish, and good solid wood. A very interesting design! We are estimating that it was made well over 100 years ago, but that is only a guess, as it could be much older than that. We have not seen another one like it to date! Rare!!
